Medical Commission gives advice on contraception at altitude

The document, the latest part of a series of recommendation papers by the commission, is a valuable source of information for women going on expeditions, especially to altitude. It provides the most up-to-date information on the topic. (see “Advice and Recommendations” page). A lot of...

Unknown peaks in Tibet documented by Japanese expedition

A Japanese expedition lead by mountaineer Tamotsu Nakamura has photographed and documented little-known peaks and ranges in the Deep Gorge Country of South East Tibet and Sichuan, China. Between October 23 and November 30, 2008, the expedition travelled 4,000 kilometres. Leader Nakamura was joined by...

Pit Schubert honoured for lifetime contributions to safety

Engineer and mountaineer Pit Schubert has been elected the UIAA’s latest honorary member, in thanks for his extensive work on making the sport safer. The German climber played a major role in establishing the UIAA Safety Label standards for mountaineering equipment. From 1973 until 2004,...

Century-old alpine club elects first woman president

his year the Norwegian Alpine Club (NTK) is celebrating its hundredth anniversary. The members have elected their first woman president to lead the club into the next century. UIAA President Mike Mortimer was in Oslo for the celebrations and had the chance to congratulate the...

China prepares environmental action for Tibet

Chinese officials have announced a new “ecological security” plan for Tibet, which has the fastest rate of global warming in the world. Climbers who visit Tibet see the most visible sign of global warming in the region: the shrinking glaciers of Mount Everest. The glaciers...

Russia reports success for extreme sports event on Mount Elbrus

The event, which included a high-speed run to the top of Europe’s highest peak, the 5,642m Mount Elbrus, a snowshoe race and ski-mountaineering competitions (vertical race and rally), took place from May 15-18. Red Fox Asia team members Andrey Puchinin (Kazakhstan), Sergey Seliverstov (Kyrgyzstan) and...

Eco friendly Everest summit

The members of the Eco Everest expedition 2008 have reached the summit. The purpose of the expedition was to field test an environmentally friendly approach to climbing and draw attention to climate change. You can read more about the Eco Everest expedition in our previous article....

The Rowell Award For the Art of Adventure

The UIAA is to become a Friend of the Rowell Award For the Art of Adventure. The award is given to an “adventurer whose artistic passion illuminates the wild places of the world, and whose accomplishments significantly benefit both the environment and the peoples who inhabit these...

Eco Everest Expedition dedicated to Hillary

Dawa Steven Sherpa, mountaineer and mountain guide, is dedicating his Eco Everest Expedition 2008 to “Sir Ed Hillary’s vision for the Khumbu and her people”. The purpose of the expedition is to raise awareness of the impact of climate change and melting glaciers in the...

A farewell to Sir Edmund Hillary

After the death of Sir Edmund Hillary, the UIAA office has received many messages paying tribute to the great mountaineer. Message from Ang Tshering Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association:  Dear Friends: It is with a heavy heart that I wish you Namaste and offer...